Spherical light field environment capture for virtual reality using a motorized pan/tilt head and offset camera

Abstract

Todays most compelling virtual reality experiences shift the users viewpoint within the virtual environment based on input from a head-tracking system, giving a compelling sense of motion parallax. While this is straightforward for computer generated scenes, photographic VR content generally does not provide motion parallax in response to head motion. Even 360° stereo panoramas, which offer separated left and right views, fail to allow the vantage point to change in response to head motion.